Raymond Furness Boeken

"The study starts from the assumption that the daring imagery and cosmic sweep of Thus Spake Zarathustra provided the impetus for the creation of visionary epics and cosmological poetic universes. Mombert's mythopoeic poetry and Daubler's heliocentric masterpiece, Das Nordlicht, are seen as deriving from the Nietzschean stimulus; Rudolf Pannwitz is discussed in connection with his subordination to Nietzsche as creator of mythical utterances and exhortations to the German nation; Ludwig Derleth's gigantic work The Koran of the Franks is analyzed as representing a remarkable fusion of Nietzscheanism and Catholicism: Alfred Schuler and Ludwig Klages, are examined in the context of Lebensphilosophie, and their attitudes to both Nietzsche and Bachofen are looked at afresh. The work of Christian Morgnestern is examined not as exemplifying a droll attitude to the world but as deriving from a deep appreciation of both Nietzsche and Steiner."--Jacket

Containing entries on over four hundred authors of fiction, poetry and drama from Germany, Austria and Switzerland, this invaluable work of reference presents material of a range and depth that no other book on the subject in English attains.

Focusing on the literary movements in Austria and Germany, this study analyzes the evolution of various genres from the late nineteenth century through the fall of the Third Reich. It delves into the rich tapestry of literature that reflects the cultural and historical shifts of the era, providing insights into how these movements shaped the literary landscape during a time of profound change.

With their complex textures, rich harmonies, and elaborate use of leitmotifs, the operas of German composer Richard Wagner (1813–83) remain some of the most influential—and contentious—in the history of the genre. But while he won renown with what he achieved on the stage, his life was marked by political exile, turbulent love affairs, and poverty. And because Wagner and his music are exceedingly intertwined with the great upheavals of his time, it is difficult to produce an impartial assessment of his output. Appearing at the bicentennial of his birth, Richard Wagner provides a clear and balanced view of both Wagner’s great successes and the controversies generated by his life and art. Using Wagner’s wide-ranging engagement with mythology as a starting point, Raymond Furness explores the composer’s music and prose writings. He delves deeply into Wagner’s essential operas, such as The Ring and Tristan and Isolde, offering fascinating insight into these works. Because the great operatic pieces often overshadow the rest of Wagner’s compositions, Furness also considers neglected fragments like “Wieland the Smith,” “The Mines at Falun,” and “The Visitors,” producing a more rounded critical picture of the composer. With up-to-date dissections of recent Bayreuth productions and a refreshingly uncluttered approach to a much-misunderstood life, Richard Wagner is an engaging look at one of music’s most beguiling figures.

A reference work containing brief entries, biographical and critical, on over 400 authors from Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Writers included range from Mann, Kafka, Brecht and Rilke to Grass, Boll, Wolf and Bernhard.